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A look back at SEMA 2012

1 of 14Ford displayed a steel body shell that faithfully reproduces the look of the 1940 Coupe.

Photo by Greg Migliore

2 of 14Chevrolet customized a 1967 Camaro in a Hot Wheels theme for SEMA. It will also offer a Hot Wheels package on the 2013 model (left).

Photo by Greg Migliore

3 of 14The red, yellow and chrome designs of this display symbolized SEMA.

Photo by Greg Migliore

4 of 14This COPO Chevrolet Camaro will be auctioned at the Barrett-Jackson event in January.

Photo by Greg Migliore

5 of 14Chip Foose rolled out this 1948 Cadillac 'Eldorod' at the BASF stand.

Photo by Greg Migliore

6 of 14The Kia Soul received a Green Lantern theme.

Photo by Greg Migliore

7 of 14Mopar previewed a Dodge Charger with a Viper V10 engine at an event before SEMA.

Photo by Greg Migliore

8 of 14The Flash lended some magic to this Kia Forte Koup.

Photo by Greg Migliore

9 of 14Chip Foose's favorite part of the Eldorod? Simple--the chrome.

Photo by Greg Migliore

10 of 14Yes, those are 42-inch tires on the Jeep Wrangler Sand Trooper. Mopar will also launch an off-road division for hard-core enthusiasts.

Photo by Greg Migliore

11 of 14Tony Stewart rolled out a Camaro ZL1 customized to the tune of his nickname: Smoke. It packs 580 hp from a supercharged V8.

Photo by Greg Migliore

12 of 14SEMA has certain hours for the show--but the Las Vegas Strip never closes.

Photo by Greg Migliore

13 of 14Mopar will offer more than 60 parts for the SRT Viper at launch, as evidenced by its display at SEMA.

Photo by Greg Migliore

14 of 14Mopar previewed the SRT Viper show car for SEMA with a sketch in October.

Photo by Greg Migliore

The sights, the sounds, the creativity, the insanity—SEMA is a melting pot of ideas, culture and a crossroads for all things cars. Some of the displays are a bit over the top—many of them, in fact. But make no mistake, the show matters.

Serious-minded people might dismiss the event as a frivolous exercise in chrome, styling and monster wheels. It's all of those things, but the fantastic nature of some of the machines belies the meaning of the show: It's about ideas for car people and by car people. It's big business, too, with an estimated 60,000 buyers walking the floors of the show held annually at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and the automotive aftermarket is estimated to account for nearly $30 billion annually.

“What we want to do is just showcase: 'think differently about our vehicles,'” said Michael Sprague, Kia's executive vice president of marketing and communications.

In that vein, Mopar had one of the more diverse displays in Vegas, with everything from a world-beating Jeep Wrangler Sand Trooper to a variety of Fiat 500s.

“Every one of these cars has a different personality,” Mopar CEO Pietro Gorlier said.

Underscoring the business theme of SEMA, Fiat also announced plans for a streamlined customization setup for 500 customers. In simple terms, buyers tell the dealer how they want their 500 tricked out, choosing from a menu of options. Then they come straight from the factory and the features are already accounted for on the Monroney sticker.

The Viper also had a bit of an encore reveal, as Mopar detailed plans for more than 60 aftermarket parts for the supercar, which will be available at launch next year. Enthusiasts will particularly be attracted to a carbon-fiber X-brace, which is seven pounds lighter than the already lithe piece used in the standard Viper.

“It's just as stiff, if not stiffer, and it looks pretty damn cool,” said Ralph Gilles, Chrysler's design chief, motorsports boss and No. 1 Viper advocate.

Chevy answered with Corvettes and Camaros, including one C6 customized to the taste of celebrity chef Guy Fieri. Clad in a striking black-and-yellow paint scheme with a 427 V8 underhood, Fieri summed up his creation succinctly: “Is that car sick or what?”

The outspoken Fieri fit in well at SEMA, as his yellow hair and goatee set against a black polo shirt matched his Vette.

Still, Chevy rolled out a massive display of small cars, which Chevy marketing vice president Chris Perry said made up 60 percent of the brand's sprawling display.

Ford's 1940 Coupe body shell was another highlight, most notably since it was just a shell. Buy one for $11,900, and make it your own. In a nutshell, that's SEMA. Start with the basics, and have fun.